(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to underwater depth recording, and more particularly to a system and method of performing underwater depth discrepancy detection, recordation and alarm notification in real time.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Ship personnel use depth charts generated by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) when navigating through coastal waters. In addition, most ships have an onboard fathometer (e.g., depth sounder) that monitors the depth in real-time. Unfortunately, actual water depths do not always correspond to chart depths. This can be a serious problem if the actual depth is less than the chart depth. Currently, there are no automated systems or procedures in place that can record such discrepancies.